TV Chef Paula Deen Explains Use of N-Word

Celebrity chef Paula Deen and her representatives have offered an explanation for her use of the N-word, which surfaced during a deposition for a lawsuit against Deen, as previously reported.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Deen admitted using the racial epithet in the past but noted that she would not use it today.

“During her deposition, Deen said that she ‘of course’ had used the ‘N-word’ before, specifically when telling her husband about a time when ‘a black man burst into the bank that I was working at and put a gun to my head.’ TMZ notes that the incident in question occurred in 1986,” THR reports.

Paula Deen Enterprises released a statement to the media today in which it says: “During a deposition where she swore to tell the truth, Ms. Deen recounted having used a racial epithet in the past, speaking largely about a time in American history which was quite different than today. [Paula] was born 60 years ago when America’s South had schools that were segregated, different bathrooms, different restaurants and Americans rode in different parts of the bus. This is not today.”

THR adds: “The statement goes on to echo Deen’s sentiments that she ‘does not find acceptable the use of this term under any circumstance by anyone nor condone any form of racism or discrimination.’”